Cancellara abandons Tour of California

The Saxo Bank rider climbed off his bike at the feed zone on stage one, suffering from a fever. Cancellara won the prologue by two seconds from American Levi Leipheimer in Sacramento yesterday, but said he had already been feeling off colour for several days.

The Swiss rider took to the start after waking up and feeling sick during the night, but decided to call it a day soon in to the stage in what were terrible conditions in northern California. Heavy rain has fallen pretty much throughout the day with temperatures low to boot.

Levi Leipheimer becomes the virtual race leader on the road but that that is likely to change by the time the sprint bonuses are won on the finish line.